Dina Primmer

Commander / EDH BG (Golgari) Extort Lifelink Sacrifice

Comred

Creature (27)

• 1x Abhorrent Overlord
• 1x Ayara, First of Locthwain
• 1x Beast Whisperer
• 1x Beledros Witherbloom
• 1x Blood Artist
• 1x Courser of Kruphix
• 1x Creakwood Liege
• 1x Crypt Ghast
• 1x Deathgreeter
• 1x Disciple of Griselbrand
• 1x Epicure of Blood
• 1x Erebos, God of the Dead
• 1x Essence Warden
• 1x Eternal Witness
• 1x Gray Merchant of Asphodel
• 1x Grim Haruspex
• 1x Marauding Blight-Priest
• 1x Marshland Bloodcaster
• 1x Midnight Reaper
• 1x Murderous Rider
• 1x Ophiomancer
• 1x Sakura-Tribe Elder
• 1x Tangled Florahedron  ^Flip
• 1x Valentin, Dean of the Vein  ^Flip
• 1x Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose
• 1x Witch of the Moors
• 1x Zulaport Cutthroat

Instant (8)

• 1x Hagra Mauling  ^Flip
• 1x Heroic Intervention
• 1x Malakir Rebirth  ^Flip
• 1x Momentous Fall
• 1x Mortality Spear
• 1x Plumb the Forbidden
• 1x Reckless Spite
• 1x Vraska's Contempt

Land (34)

• 1x Bojuka Bog
• 1x Cabal Coffers
• 1x Castle Locthwain
• 1x Command Tower
• 10x Forest
• 1x High Market
• 1x Llanowar Wastes
• 1x Overgrown Tomb
• 1x Phyrexian Tower
• 1x Sapseep Forest
• 9x Swamp
• 1x Tainted Wood
• 1x Temple of Malady
• 1x Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
• 1x Verdant Catacombs
• 1x Witch's Clinic
• 1x Woodland Chasm

Artifact (9)

• 1x Bontu's Monument
• 1x Lightning Greaves
• 1x Pestilent Cauldron  ^Flip
• 1x Pristine Talisman
• 1x Skullclamp
• 1x Sol Ring
• 1x Sun Droplet
• 1x Well of Lost Dreams
• 1x Whip of Erebos

Planeswalker (2)

• 1x Tevesh Szat, Doom of Fools
• 1x Vraska, Golgari Queen

Commander (1)

Enchantment (10)

• 1x Bastion of Remembrance
• 1x Bitterblossom
• 1x Blight Mound
• 1x Doubling Season
• 1x Exquisite Blood
• 1x Journey to Eternity  ^Flip
• 1x Lifegift
• 1x Moldervine Reclamation
• 1x Revenge of Ravens
• 1x Sanguine Bond

Sorcery (9)

• 1x Agadeem's Awakening  ^Flip
• 1x Command the Dreadhorde
• 1x Cultivate
• 1x Damnation
• 1x Deadly Tempest
• 1x Essence Pulse
• 1x Pest Infestation
• 1x Three Visits
• 1x Victimize

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Sideboard

Creature (11)

• 1x Blood Researcher
• 1x Bloodthirsty Aerialist
• 1x Defiant Bloodlord
• 1x Disciple of Bolas
• 1x Elvish Mystic
• 1x Fyndhorn Elves
• 1x Noxious Gearhulk
• 1x Sangromancer
• 1x Veinwitch Coven
• 1x Viscera Seer
• 1x Wolverine Riders

Enchantment (5)

• 1x Bloodchief Ascension
• 1x From Beyond
• 1x Greed
• 1x Trudge Garden
• 1x Wound Reflection

Planeswalker (1)

• 1x Ob Nixilis Reignited

Sorcery (1)

• 1x Gaze of Granite

Land (4)

• 1x Darkbore Pathway  ^Flip
• 1x Overgrown Tomb
• 1x Terramorphic Expanse
• 1x Undergrowth Stadium

Instant (1)

• 1x Tend the Pests

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Maybeboard

Creature (11)

• 1x Accomplished Alchemist
• 1x Blossoming Bogbeast
• 1x Canopy Stalker
• 1x Deathrite Shaman
• 1x Fiend Artisan
• 1x Pontiff of Blight
• 1x Savra, Queen of the Golgari
• 1x Shriekmaw
• 1x Silversmote Ghoul
• 1x Tivash, Gloom Summoner
• 1x Twilight Prophet

Land (4)

• 1x Evolving Wilds
• 1x Jungle Hollow
• 1x Swamp
• 1x War Room

Instant (3)

• 1x Blunt the Assault
• 1x Inspiring Call
• 1x Snuff Out

Enchantment (1)

• 1x Grim Feast

Artifact (4)

• 1x Aetherflux Reservoir
• 1x Bolas's Citadel
• 1x Tablet of the Guilds
• 1x The Great Henge

Sorcery (2)

• 1x Culling Ritual
• 1x Torment of Hailfire

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Welcome to my Deck Tech!

Hello my names Ethan and I've been a commander player for over 6 years or so. I've played on and off throughout the years from playing Cedh combo decks such as The Gitrog Monster to my janky Silas Renn, Seeker Adept + Vial Smasher the Fierce surprise bolas artifact deck, its weird but works. Over the years my play group has simmered down from Cedh and now we are way more causal. I still like to build tuned decks that are fun and intresting. Yet not oppressive.

The sideboard are cards I am ordering and the may board is cards I have and am considering adding.

My first deck I ever made was a Athreos, God of Passage Extort deck. Loved playing this deck early on with friends chipping away at their life totals. Then winning the game with Debt of the Deathless and Vizkopa Guildmage was a blast for my first deck commander. Building Dina, Soul Steeper is a lot like that and has been a joy playing her and finding what works.

If you have any ideas or improve the deck please leave a comment or an upvote!

Intro

Originally this started out with the Willowdusk, Essence Seer pre-con and with some play testing I found her lacking. So I started play testing Dina, Soul Steeper I like how synergist the deck was and over time and play testing I have been enjoying finding out how to best make her work. So this guide should help you understand why I find that some cards work and why some don't.

Is this deck for you?

1. Do you like building value engines? 2. Do you like slowly gridding your opponents down? 3. Do you like win options? 4. Do you like to suddenly go off and kill the board?

Dina, Soul Steeper pretty much does all of that and more. Reason being life gain has so much interlocking synergies. That such make the deck a joy to play.

Theirs also synergies and other way to play this deck.

Why you may not like this deck? You may not like this deck as it tends to not attack a lot as you want to protect your engine. Though you can pivot to attacking with the right cards in synergies the main win con is life drain.

How does this deck win

Ultimately Dina, Soul Steeper is a unique life gain and life drain deck that are in . This type has quickly become one of my favorite decks.

The decks main goal are to run low costing creatures that synergies and play off each other. The first way we win is through single instant triggered life gain. Slowly over time we wither away our opponents. For example cards like Dina, Soul Steeper + Sun Droplet is a nice value engine that ticks our opponents down. We then build on this by adding other cards such as Marauding Blight-Priest . As we add these effects we start to build out are game winning life gain engine.

The next way is through combat damage. I love when this way. Its not offten or the main way, but none the less still a blast. Lets say we play Whip of Erebos or a Ikra Shidiqi, the Usurper these are way we can swing out trigger our commander and if we have a large enough board we win.

Finally is with the combo's Dina, Soul Steeper + Exquisite Blood makes for a incredibly strong win combo. Also the reason I do not run tutor. I will add this when I have the money to.

Pestilent Cauldron   This is a value engine you mill cards and late game you can turn unused lands unto pest. Also pairs well with Pontiff of Blight to mill a ton.

Crypt Ghast + Pontiff of Blight + Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth I think extort in under rated in commander. The ability to get more life gain trigger as well as drain life from your opponents is pure gold.

Beledros Witherbloom + Wolverine Riders another value engine. You get creatures one triggers life gain the other makes pest one of the best tokens in the deck.

Disciple of Griselbrand pairs fantastic with pest tokens. You now gain 2 life gain triggers. Which synergies with Dina, Soul Steeper .

Cards I am Considering

First up the card I am most sad that I am not running Deathrite Shaman for the simple reason is my playground is newer and don't run fetches so he looses out.

Next up Blossoming Bogbeast I really want to like this card, and if you want to run a more aggressive agro deck it is a must.

One card I am having a tough time debating is Savra, Queen of the Golgari I may change my mind on her, but as it stand the fact you are required to sac just so she triggers is not worth adding in my mind. It also does not synergies with skull clamp.

Aetherflux Reservoir + Bolas's Citadel I love this combo. I will not run it as it is currently a combo in my artifact deck.

Bontu's Monument This card is very close to making it to the list and I may just add it. It fits well with the deck and thanks to Ayara, First of Locthwain I already run a large amount of black creatures in the deck.

The Great Henge This card is insane, just too expensive.

Blunt the Assault triggers life gain and protection. Good if your meta is combat focus.

Grim Feast This card was hard to find but kind of good.

Canopy Stalker Low key value engine. Sack 5 pest to Disciple of Griselbrand gain 15?? Seem solid needs testing.

If you want to make an elf tribal version of the deck Elvish Eulogist + Dwynen, Gilt-Leaf Daen . Wellwisher I think How this card is worded triggers 1 life for each elf.

Spike Feeder Need to test this first. Seems solid paired with Valentin, Dean of the Vein   green side.

Thoughtleech Another weird old card but if your meta runs a lot of islands this is a must add!

Abhorrent Overlord Pairs well with Ayara, First of Locthwain as a finisher. Plus more free bodies.

Planning to add and what I will cut.

Accomplished Alchemist the problem with this card and why I want to cut is the fact its expensive. it an expensive mana dork and it may not get back its cost. Recently cut Accomplished Alchemist for my foiled Fiend Artisan as I find it fits the deck more.

From Beyond First of the cost is only 1.00 for this card making it a great budget option. later on I will swap it out for Bitter Blossom the black creatures synergies very well with Ayara, First of Locthwain .

Read the Bones great card and I had a bunch, will cut it for Plumb the Forbidden its overall a better card draw deck and plays well with what the deck wants to do.

Ob Nixilis Reignited will be replaced for Savra, Queen of the Golgari the +1 alone pairs great with the deck and add card draw. Sangromancer Needs a bit too much set up to really shine. Replaced with Witch of the Moors she in general tends to do more. Fyndhorn Elves Honestly I think the art is booty. Replaced with Courser of Kruphix as he helps with ramp and life gain.

Combo Time

Dina, Soul Steeper + Exquisite Blood this combo ends the game.

Bloodchief Ascension + Pestilent Cauldron This is a mean combo gain even some life mill your opponents and deal the death blow.

Dina, Soul Steeper + Sun Droplet technically a combo. You never loose counters on Sun Droplet.

Updates and Overhall

So I did alot of play testing and the deck needed some changes to really end games.

The deck could get people low, but it had a hard time ending games.

I added Tevesh Szat, Doom of Fools as he is an all-star in the deck and make fodder as well as a sac outlet. Same reason for

Plumb the Forbidden Need a way to sac creatures for life gain and draw cards this an instant speed monster.

Lifegift Really good early on when people are ramping.

Ikra Shidiqi, the Usurper I cut her as I learned the deck did not want to spend time attacking.

Essence Warden needed her to arrive in the mail. But with token she's a beast. Same for Deathgreeter

Abhorrent Overlord Is the same reason Gary's In the deck he helps close out games.

Journey to Eternity   had an extra. Offers recursion and land.

Doubling Season The deck naturally made tokens to sack. So I leaned into that and buffed it up.

Lastly Erebos, God of the Dead I added him for 2 reason card draw and the deck has a hard time closing out a game if someone can gain life. As the goal of the deck is to drain them to death.

Top Ranked	Achieved #24 position overall 3 years ago Achieved #18 position in Commander / EDH 3 years ago Achieved #1 position in Commander / EDH Extort 3 years ago
Date added	3 years
Last updated	3 years
Key combos	Aetherflux Reservoir + Bolas's Citadel Dina, Soul Steeper + Exquisite Blood Dina, Soul Steeper + Sun Droplet Crypt Ghast + Pontiff of Blight + Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth Beledros Witherbloom + Wolverine Riders Bloodchief Ascension + Pestilent Cauldron
Legality	This deck is Commander / EDH legal.
Rarity (main - side)	9 - 2 Mythic Rares 36 - 13 Rares 22 - 3 Uncommons 8 - 4 Commons
Cards	100
Avg. CMC	3.30
Tokens	Eldrazi Scion 1/1 C, Elf Warrior 1/1 G, Emblem Ob Nixilis Reignited, Emblem Vraska, Golgari Queen, Faerie Rogue 1/1 B, Fungus Beast 4/4 G, Harpy 1/1 B, Human Soldier 1/1 W, Morph 2/2 C, On an Adventure, Pest 1/1 BG, Snake 1/1 B, Thrull 0/1 B, Worm 1/1 BG
Folders	Unspoken Ideas